Bugatti Type 18

The Bugatti Type 18, also called the Garros, was built from 1912 through 1914, shortly after Ettore Bugatti started his business. Only seven were made and three are known to survive. Its design owed much to the cars Bugatti had drawn up earlier for Deutz Gasmotoren Fabrik, combined with the radiator of the Type 13. Power came from a large 5.0 litre straight-four with three valves per cylinder and a single overhead camshaft, whose very long 160 millimetre stroke limited it to about 2,400 revolutions per minute. A four-speed gearbox sent power through two exposed side chains to the rear wheels, and with the three sets of rear sprockets the factory supplied, the maximum speed was close to 160 kilometres per hour. The name Garros comes from chassis number 474, delivered to the French aviator Roland Garros; that car later became known as Black Bess and is now on public display at the Louwman Museum in the Netherlands.